Something Done for the First Time

“Where’s Yona?”

Kaiyak asked Alec as he sat at the table.

Alec, who was about to sit down in a somewhat awkward posture, faced Kaiyak, who was looking at him with a slightly skewed gaze.

“…Why are you asking me that?”

“It’s about Yona. You would know best.”

“I don’t know. Hasn’t she come yet?”

“She hasn’t. Go and bring her, Alec.”

“Hmm…”

Alec scratched his bald head as he stood up again after starting to sit down. He didn’t think about why he had to go and fetch her, but anyway, if someone knew the most about Yona, it was indeed Alec, as Kaiyak said.

“I’ll bring her.”

“Alright.”

It wasn’t uncommon for Yona to be late for breakfast. Yona tended to sleep in, and when staying at the imperial palace like now, there wasn’t particularly a need to wake up early, so she occasionally didn’t show up for breakfast.

But this morning was even more so. Not only because of what happened last night, but Alec also—because he couldn’t control himself, judging by how his legs were trembling when he left the room, Yona probably couldn’t wake up on time either.

‘Hmm, why is it so…’

Recalling last night’s events, it really feels like a dream.

Alec finally couldn’t control himself and rushed in with all his might, but Yona seemed to rather enjoy it. The more Alec recalled Yona’s appearance, the more he thought that the slight doubt he had harbored might be true.

It’s not strange—of course, there are people with masochistic sexual preferences, but he never thought Yona would have such tastes. Yona’s image of begging for it to be stronger, harder—and finally even asking to be insulted, was quite impressive…

‘I’m also at fault for not being able to control myself…’

Alec thought about what had happened in Catsi’s illusion as he walked down the corridor. Although the intimate encounter started abruptly due to Yona barging into his room, in the end, Alec also lost his reason and mindlessly violated Yona.

Was it three days or four days? He couldn’t remember exactly, but even when Yona begged him to stop and let her rest while crying, Alec didn’t stop. The memory of holding onto Yona, who had finally lost consciousness and collapsed, and violating her over and over until Alec was satisfied.

It’s really amazing that this was exactly Yona’s true nature.

‘To match her, do I need to develop sadistic tendencies…’

Can I do that?

I’m not sure.

And while thinking about this, Alec had already arrived in front of Yona’s room door.

Alec raised his hand to knock on Yona’s door but hesitated for a moment before knocking.

It felt like something new. He had followed her for years, harboring romantic feelings and protecting her side for so long that he could barely remember how many years it had been.

However, just last night they realized their feelings were mutual, and although they didn’t wake up in the same bed, this morning that greeted them like this felt somehow new.

Alec took a small deep breath in front of the door. Since he couldn’t keep standing like this—knock knock.

“Yona, it’s me.”

• Oh, y-yes… I’m up…!

  “Let’s have breakfast. Everyone’s waiting.”

• I-I’ll be right out…! Just a moment!

  It was a strangely awkward voice.

  Alec didn’t press further and waited for Yona while leaning against the wall next to the door. Shortly after, the door opened and Yona appeared. Alec’s eyes widened when he saw Yona.

“Yona, you…?”

“Uh, u-um. I-I’m a bit late. L-let’s go.”

It was understandable.

Yona usually had her hair down carelessly. When she wore a veil covering her head, it was natural, and even when she didn’t wear the veil, Yona went around with her hair down without any accessories. Although she brushed her hair every morning, because it was so unruly, by lunchtime it would be sticking out and spread messily everywhere.

But now that hair was neatly tied up with a knot. It was tightly tied with a black string and even had a butterfly-shaped knot. It looked so different from before that Alec couldn’t continue speaking.

“W-what are you doing?”

Yona spoke while looking away, unable to face Alec who was standing still without moving. Her face was undoubtedly red, but Alec could also guess that his own face was quite flushed as well.

“…D-does it look strange?”

“N-no. No, it doesn’t. You, you’re so pretty…”

It was an honest impression. Alec was speechless at this new appearance of Yona. Not only that, the shabby nun’s habit she always wore had usually been roughly patched up when torn, but now she had somehow found similar colored fabric and clumsily but personally sewed it on.

“P-pretty? I-I’m not happy at all to hear such words, so let’s hurry and go…!”

With those words, Yona turned around abruptly and started walking with big strides. Thanks to her tall stature, her steps were quite fast, so Alec had to quickly move to follow Yona.

“Wait, Yona. Let’s go together!”

Alec walked side by side with Yona. The corridor was filled with servants in charge of the guest quarters, probably because it was early morning, but when they saw Yona and Alec, the servants all retreated to both ends of the corridor and bowed deeply in greeting.

As they walked between them, Yona and Alec didn’t say anything. This awkward situation where they were both watching each other’s reactions without saying anything. Alec didn’t know what to say, and Yona also couldn’t figure out what to say.

“I-is everyone gathered?”

“Yeah, they’re all already gathered. We’re just waiting for you.”

“I-I see.”

This conversation exchanging only short answers.

The atmosphere was extremely awkward, but it was fine nonetheless.

As she walked down the corridor, Yona pondered.

This dimwitted, tactless bald guy.

It’s frustrating that Alec just ends it with one word saying she’s pretty.

It was the same with the nun’s habit.

Alec had only noticed her hair and must not have noticed anything about the nun’s habit.

It was the first time she had paid attention to clothes.

Clothes were just for covering the body; had she ever thought about looking pretty? – No, she hadn’t.

The shabby nun’s habit was noticeably worn out, so much so that she had even refused when Amira offered to give her new clothes. But after last night’s events, in the room that Alec had neatly tidied up, Yona suddenly thought her clothes were too shabby.

‘If I stand next to Alec in these clothes, even Alec might be criticized.’

Because of this, Yona called a maid in the early morning and asked her to find fabric similar in color to the nun’s habit, and then she personally patched and sewed it, eventually not sleeping until this time. After clumsy sewing, she had pricked her fingers so many times she couldn’t count them on both hands – although they had healed by now.

Moreover, even this morning, because she hadn’t slept at all, she looked terrible, so sleeping was out of the question, and she had washed up early and groomed herself. She had even tied her hair for the first time.

But Alec ends it with just one word saying she’s pretty.

No other words, just that one sentence to end it.

‘This tactless guy…’

She hadn’t expected excessive praise, but she thought there would be an appropriate reaction, yet it ends with just that.

She stayed up all night sewing clothes, washed up, and even tied her hair after failing dozens of times, thinking Alec might like it, but this guy’s reaction ends with just this.

‘Did I do it for nothing? Was I the only one getting excited over nothing?’

She felt wronged, and also a little hurt.

She had worked hard.

And she had made an effort.

It hurt that the person she wanted to acknowledge it didn’t.

‘Should I have just slept… I was the only one getting all worked up for nothing…’

The tip of her nose felt like it was going to scrunch up.

Why does she become so emotionally swayed after acknowledging it?

Yona couldn’t understand the reason, but she felt disappointed.

“Yona, you really look beautiful today.”

At Alec’s words, Yona sniffled.

He’s been saying nothing but ‘pretty’ since earlier.

She knows he’s not good with words – yes, she knows, so.

It’s probably something Yona has to understand inevitably.

A warm sensation touched Yona’s hand.

At that touch, Yona’s back straightened and stiffened.

Fingers brushed against Yona’s palm, and then firmly grasped her hand.

A thick palm with calluses here and there, feeling solid.

She could feel Alec’s hand holding hers.

“You’re so beautiful. I haven’t learned much, so I can’t express it more in words. Yona, you’re really beautiful.”

Yona’s gaze turned to the ground again.

Her nose, which had been on the verge of sniffling, became normal as if nothing had happened.

It seemed okay.

Yona could feel that Alec was trying his best to give her the highest praise he could think of.

“O-okay.”

Even so, Yona didn’t shake off Alec’s hand.

Held as they were held, the two walked down the corridor towards the dining room, holding hands tightly.

“So, you’re saying we’ll arrive a bit earlier, right?”

The white wheat bread being torn apart must have been baked not long ago. The bread, torn along its texture, released puffy steam it had been holding inside, and Yona dipped a piece of this torn bread into the stew as she asked Alevian.

The stew, made with plenty of corn, butter, meat, and various vegetables, was yellow. The stew, boiled with lots of corn, peas, bacon, and all kinds of vegetables, was very rich and more stimulating in taste than it looked.

“The movement suddenly sped up. At this rate, I think we’ll arrive tonight.”

Yona scraped the meat from the stew with a spoon, gathering it. She scooped up the pile of meat with the spoon and put it on Alec’s plate, nodding to Alevian.

“I see. I think it would be better for Sir Bigrand and the Hero to stay in the palace while concealing their presence. Ceres probably doesn’t know they’re here – and things will likely get quite tense with me.”

Everyone knows that Ceres is plotting something. She’s probably not coming to reveal her true colors, so there’s no need for us to reveal all our strength at once either.

The goal now is to subdue Ceres, confirm the details, and then crush her plan.

From Yona’s perspective, she wanted to tear Ceres apart right away, but for now, acting on impulse doesn’t solve everything.

“The Celestial Deity asked me to send her regards to you too.”

“I see. Tell her I said thanks.”

Yona nodded as she scraped her empty stew plate clean with pieces of bread, eating up to the last drop. After drinking the water Alec had poured, Yona exhaled sharply.

“So she’s finally coming, that bi-“

She was about to say “bitch.”

Yona glanced sideways at Alec.

It hadn’t been long since she decided to try and improve her speaking habits.

“Bad woman.”

Because she is indeed a woman.

This isn’t a bad word.